There’s No Business

This past year, Nathan was on the stage crew at the middle school and absolutely loved it. When an opportunity arose for him to be on the stage crew for our community’s summer show, he jumped at the chance. The middle school drama teacher was heading up the crew and there were other kids from the school involved as well, so it was a chance for him to hang out with some friends as well. There was some drama (on as well as off the stage), a lot of late nights and a generous amount of stress, but overall I think it was a good experience for him. He learned a lot about how a director can cause unity or dissention in a cast and crew, how to work with people who are not terribly reliable, and how to do some super cool things with sets.

The show was “The Little Mermaid,” so Malia thought the whole thing was pretty darn cool. She even got to meet the cast. Malia was so impressed by the whole thing that she has changed her Halloween Costume 5 Year Plan (something she has never done before) and decided she would push Belle’s yellow dress to next year and do Ariel’s pink dress this year.

See the Nathan Photo Bomb?

Nathan will be glad when the whole thing is over. He is a morning person by nature and all the late (late, late) nights are starting to get to him.

A Crash Course in Live Theater

One of my sisters-in-law works at a local theater. This summer her oldest son is also working at the theater. They each get a number of comp tickets for each show and they were generous enough to send some our way for “The Little Mermaid.”

Live Theater Lesson #1: Malia has been excited about this for a couple of weeks, but when you say “theater” to her she thinks of movies. The only live show she had been to previous to this one was the community children’s play Nathan participated in last year. So when we walked into the theater she looked around and said, “Where’s the screen?” I explained to her that this particular theater was not for movies. Real people would act out the story for us. That was a good enough explanation for her.

Live Theater Lesson #2: I don’t know how many of you have seen the stage version of “The Little Mermaid,” but the second act is pretty slow. Not a lot happens until the last five minutes. About halfway through the second act, Malia leaned over and whispered in my ear, “I’m bored.” I leaned back to her and whispered, “Me to.” Sometimes that happens in live theater which is one of the reasons I only go to see productions of “State Fair” and “Carousel” if I absolutely have to. They just bore me.

Live Theater Lesson #3: My sister, Rachael, and her two girls also received freebie tickets so we all met at the theater and then went out to lunch afterward. Seeing a show and having a meal (or dessert) before or afterward is a social event. It is much more fun to share the experience with people you like. And having a mustache on your drink is more fun if people you like can laugh with you.

Next year this same theater will be performing “Beauty and the Beast.” Malia is already excited. So am I. I love that I have children that enjoy some of the same things I do.